Pastor Jimmy K. Riley

God was pleased to place him in the home of Orbin K. (1942-2014) and Sandra D. Riley, two outstanding parents who loved him as well as his sister, Janath; and two brothers, Johnny and Jason.

As a young man, Jimmy was discipled by Mr. David Helms, a great Commissioned Minister of the Gospel and Director of Christian Education of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church – Houston TX, who communicated to Jimmy a passion for Christ. It was during this time, however, that Jimmy came to realize that the greatest witness a man could offer for Jesus Christ was not what he knew, but how he lived his life in his vocations as a father and a husband.

While preparing for ministry at Concordia College – Seward NE, Jimmy met Barb, a young woman who was a fellow member in the Spiritual Life Council and studying to be a teacher. Eleven months later, on “the happiest day of my life — except for every day after that,” Jimmy and Barb were married (July 18, 1987). Jimmy and Barb have two wonderful children: a daughter, Jamie; and a son, Joshua.

Jimmy continued his studies with the purpose of developing skills that would enable him to assist Christ’s Church and Christian parents in raising their children and youth with a solid Christian Education and a love for Christ. He graduated May 1991 from Concordia – Seward as a Commissioned Minister of the Gospel, and certified as a general DCE with minors in Youth Ministry, Adult Education, Christian Life, and Health.

He has served several congregations for over two decades as a DCE: Mt. Olive-Corpus Christi TX (1990-91); Trinity-Jefferson City MO (1991-1993); St. John- Seward NE (1993-1997); and Zion-Painesville OH (1997- present). Jimmy as has also been certified in Peer Ministry, Evangelism Explosion, Dialog Evangelism, Stephen Ministry, KINDLE (Karpenko Institute of Nurturing and Developing Leadership Excellence), as well as coaching Basketball. Coach Riley has served as a basketball and serves softball coach for Our Shepherd Lutheran School.

In 2005 Jimmy entered the Concordia Seminary – St. Louis DELTO (Distance Education Leading Towards Ordination) program. At the completion of the DELTO Program, he received a Divine Call through Zion Lutheran Church and was Ordained as a Minister of the Gospel in the LC-MS in 2009. He currently serves as an Associate Pastor at Zion with emphasis in cradle to grave Christian Life, preaching and teaching, as well as Outreach.

Pastor Riley has served as one of the Pastoral Advisors on the Our Shepherd Lutheran School Board, and as Pastoral Counselor for the Ohio NE Zone of the LWML and the Ohio District LWML. He has also served as Circuit Visitor (counselor) of the NE 1 Circuit of the Ohio District-LCMS.